[Dialogue] Business Ethics

[LAURELCG at aol.com]

George wrote:
Also, there appears to me to be evil conveyed in and through institutions, 
e.g. the institution of slavery, which speaking ethically, goes far beyond what 
a small person can 

contribute and the practices, images, understandings can be perpetuated far 
beyond that small person for generations.

John replied:

The comment about the institution of slavery is absolutely correct: it was 

evil. But calling it an institution is pretty abstract, sort of like calling 
Christianity an institution. It is, in some way of talking, but that doesn't 
provide anything concrete enough to get a handle on. Anyway, I was talking 
about organizations, not institutions in that sense. There is a difference.

Thank you, George and John, for this discussion.  My reply isn't about the 
Internet, but it seems to me much of the source of evil in economic 
organizations today is the institution of "free trade."  It's "free" for big business but 
certainly comes at a large cost for laborers.  Our county (Tulare County, 
California, home of Richgrove HDP, the town whose unemployment rate is still the 
highest in the state) is in the top 3 grossing agriculture counties in the 
country, with a gross agriculture product larger than most countries.  Yet we have 
more poverty than any other county in the state because our labor force of 
undocumented immigrants work for such low wages.  Farmers here, and many related 
businesses, say they couldn't survive without them, but that is because we're 
used to cheap food in this country.  Like we used to be accustomed to cheap 
gasoline.  And now we're accustomed to cheap internet usage.

If I sound confused about these relationships, it's because I am.  But I feel 
like the kaleidoscope is just about to shift to a design that we can all 
discern a little better.  Sorry it this is what used to be called a "rabbit."  We 
had a huge response in this area yesterday to the "Day without an Immigrant" 
event, and it is a very exciting time.  Discerning all the relationships is the 
difficulty.  Help!  Anyone!

Love and blessings,
Jann McGuire